The Spartan Beast

Last weekend Jess G, Dimitry and Pierce formed an ERG team to attempt and master one hell of an emotional and physical challenge - the famous Spartan Beast obstacle course! On a cold pouring-rain Saturday they dove right in (quite literally) and came out as new people on the other side.

Here is Dimitry's account:

5 hours, 13 miles, and 25 obstacles later, we emerged victorious.  It's not every day that we can dine in Hell, but as Spartan Warriors, we got an 8 course meal.  And yes, we could have done better, finished earlier, or climbed harder, but we could not have been more of a team, and that was something to be damn proud of. 

We crossed pools of mud and water, which for some of us came up to our necks.  We leaped over fire, climbed long slippery ropes, crawled under barbed wire for what seemed to be miles.  We even threw spears at imaginary enemies (well, there were targets, but they were dressed up as enemies) and fought off attackers (with foam weapons, but hey, they were vicious!).  All of this was done in 50+ degree weather, in pouring rain, unyielding winds, and on terrain which seemed almost perfectly made for injury.

As ERGies we frequently find ourselves struggling through obstacles together: lending a hand on a problem set, advising on fellowship essays, or providing support in times of self doubt.  The Spartan Race in Sacramento was no different, and our team finished every mile, supporting one another through some of the hardest physical challenges we had ever experienced.